On May 23, the U.S. Senate once again rejected a proposed border bill, underscoring its significance as a top concern among voters leading up to the 2024 election. Republicans had previously thwarted the bill in February, when it was rolled into a larger foreign aid package.
Republicans have slammed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for his choice to reintroduce the bill for a vote, alleging it’s a political maneuver designed to boost Democratic messaging leading into the 2024 elections.
The proposed law, known as the Border Act of 2024, was shot down in a 43–50 vote, drawing more opposition from members of both parties compared to the prior vote in February.
The legislation allocates $20 billion for border security and sets up a procedure to close the border if there are seven straight days with an average of 5,000 illegal immigrants encountered daily, or if more than 8,500 illegal aliens are encountered in a single day.
Supporters of the bill argue that it would give President Joe Biden more power to shut down the border and claim it would ease the crisis by supplying fresh funds to combat the influx of fentanyl across the border.
“It’s a chance to show we’re serious about fixing the border,” Mr. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said ahead of the vote.
Critics argue the opposite, with numerous voices asserting that it would exacerbate the situation, especially with a clause that could effectively codify allowing 5,000 illegal immigrants into the country daily.
Back in February, the bill didn’t move forward with a vote of 49–50, receiving backing from four Republicans and pushback from four Democrats.
Last Thursday, a number of Democrats, including Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats, opposed the measure.
These legislators linked their opposition to the measure’s failure to provide protections for “Dreamers,” individuals who were recipients of deferred immigration enforcement under President Barack Obama.
Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and John Lankford (R-Okla.), pivotal figures in the initial negotiations, both defected to vote against the measure.
During its second round, no Republicans backed the measure, with several asserting that the vote was merely a Democratic political tactic that would exacerbate the situation at the southern border.
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